Apparatus for replacing an endless belt in a papermaking roller press assembly



Nov. 14.1967

w. LITHGO ETAL 3,352,747 APPARATUS FOR REPLACING AN ENDLESS BELT IN A PAPERMAKING ROLLER PRESS ASSEMBLY Filed April 23, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS WILLIAM LITHGO GENE ROBERTS RUSSELL L. SMITH DALE E. WILLS ATTORNEY 3,352,747 DLEss BELT IN A PAPERMAKING ROLLER PRESS ASSEMBLY Nov. 14, 1967 w. LITHGO ETAL APPARATUS FOR REPLACING AN EN Filed April 23, 1964 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 r L WH S 5 L 1: VTR M. L N M- umwuf EUA WGRDw ATTORNEY w. LITHGO ETAL 3,352,747 APPARATUS FOR REPLACING AN ENDLESS BELT IN A Nov. 14, 1967 PAPERMAKING ROLLER PRESS ASSEMBLY 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 23, 1964 INVENTORS WILLIAM LITHGO GENE ROBERTS RUSSELL L. SMITH DALE E. WILLS KARL cu. HOCKS qlvYTlllll ATTORNEY Nov. 14, 1967 w. LITHGO ETAL 3,352,747

APPARATUS FOR REPLACING AN ENDLESS BELT IN A PAPERMAKING ROLLER PRESS ASSEMBLY Filed April 23, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 v INVENTORS WILLIAM LITHGO GENE ROBERTS I RUSSELL L. SMITH DALE E. WILLS BY KARL C4) Hoe/ 5 ATTORNEY Nov. 14, 1967 w, LITHGQ ETAL 3,352,747

APPARATUS FOR REPLACING AN ENDLESS BELT IN A PAPERMAKING ROLLER PRESS ASSEMBLY Filed April 23, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS WILLIAM LITHGO GENE ROBERTS RUSSELL L. SMITH DALE E. WILLS KHRL a). 72 Oc/Ks ATTORNEY United States Patent C) 3,352,747 APPARATUS F021 REPLAQENG AN ENDLESS BELT IN A PAPERMAKING ROLLER PRESS ASSEMBLY William Lithgo, Gene Roberts, Russell L. Smith, and Dale E. Wills, Middletown, (lino, assignors to Diamond In ternational Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 23, 1954, Ser. No. 361,942 12 Claims. (Cl. 162-274) The present invention relates to a super-structure or framework for supporting a plurality of rollers and an endless belt about such rollers, which super-structure permits the easy change of such endless belt without removal of such rollers, and the method for making such a change, and, more particularly, the invention relates to such method and apparatus in a papermaking roller press assembly for drying paper wherein the endless belt is a paper drying felt, a screen fabric, or both.

Prior to the present invention, the changing of a paper drying felt or fabric has been a major factor in producing excessive shut-down time in the manufacture of paper. The press section of a papermaking machine involves a plurality of presses, each of which has a number of massive rolls about which a paper-drying, endless felt passes. More recently, a device has been introduced for utilizing a fabric screen along with the paper drying felt (note Patent No. 3,093,535). When a felt or fabric screen wears out, and such felts commonly wear out often, it has previously been necessary to shut down operations for several hours in order to change such felts or fabrics. This has been conventionally carried out by moving in a crane, separating each massive roller at one end from its bearing housing, and oneat-a-time lifting the massive rollers with the crane while the endless felt or fabric is slid over that particular roller.

Not only is such a procedure extremely time consuming and therefore expensive each time it has to be performed, but such operation is necessary often due to the multiplicity of felts used in a single line and the short life of each felt. All previous attempts to solve this excessively time consuming and expensive operation have dealt with applying a felt having two ends (rather than an endless felt) and then subsequently (after it has been placed on the rollers) joining the two ends of the felt to make it endless; this procedure is entirely unsatisfactory because of its deleterious effect on the paper being dried, i.e. at the area where the two ends of felt are joined, marks are produced on the paper which render the paper unsatisfactory for commercial use.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to eliminate the difiiculties presented in the prior art, such as those indicated above.

It is another object of the present invention to quickly, simply, and inexpensively change an endless belt on a plurality of rollers.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for replacing an endless belt and/ or fabric in a papermaking press, which method is quick and simple to execute and which apparatus is simple and inexpensive, yet effective.

These and other objects and the nature and advantages of the instant invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating one stage of a paper drying press assembly utilizing an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the device in FIG. 1 showing different steps of applying a fabric screen to the rollers;

3,352,747 Patented Nov. 14, 1967 FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the same embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 showing different steps of the application of a paper drying felt in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of another embodiment showing in addition to the apparatus of FIG. 1, a second stage press assembly in which the felt is being changed;

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of one part of the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with parts removed during the application of a felt or fabric.

One stage of a roller press felt drying assembly is shown generally in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the device comprises four vertical pillars 10, 12, 14 and 16 which rest upon some foundation such as a horizontal floor means 18 which may be either a factory floor or the ground. Between the vertical pillars 10-16 are provided two horizontal beams 20 and 22 which join pillars 10 and 16, and 12 and 14, respectively. These pillars and beams serve to support a first series of rollers 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, and 34. Passing in contact with each of these rollers and around all but roll 24 is an endless and continuous drying felt 36 such as is well known in the art.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the drying felt 36 has, passing inside, a continuous and endless fabric screen 38 passing around and in contact with a second series of rollers 4-0, 42, 44 and 46 and a fabric spreader 48. The felt 36 and the fabric screen 38 come in contact at the nip between rolls 24 and 40; thus the felt 36 also passes around the roller 40 which is a roll common to both series of rollers. In a conventional paper machine press section, the wet paper web passes through a series of roller nips (more commonly referred to as presses or press positions) for the purpose of pressing water from the web. The framework presented in the present invention may be utilized in any of these press positions; typical of these is the nip between roller 24 and roller 49.

As is conventional, the pressing rollers 24 and 20 are pneumatically loaded. At the bottom of pillars 1t and 12 are located the load producing air units which supply pressure to the nip into which the fabric, felt and paper web enter for water removal. A cover plate 13 is provided near the base of the pillar 12 for access to the air unit.

Depending from the horizontal beams 20 and 22 are vertical beams, such as beams 5d and 52 which extend from horizontal beam 22 and beam 53 which extends from horizontal beam 20. Extending through the vertical beam 50 essentially parallel to the rollers and preferably extending to the back beam 53 corresponding to vertical beams 50 is a second horizontal beam 54 which extends outward from the plane formed by the vertical pillars 12 and 14. Similarly extending through the vertical beam 52 is another second horizontal beam 56, also extending out of the plane formed by the vertical pillars 12 and 14. It is an important feature of the present invention (in the preferred embodiment) that the horizontal beams 54 and 56 lie within the annuloids or their projections formed by both the felt 36 and the fabric 38.

If desired, the beam 54 and/or beam 56 may extend entirely through the press structure to provide additional support. Since the beam 54 is directly above press roller 4%, such beam must have an open design through which a crane may act. The compactness of the overall superstructure design in many cases necessitates the open crossbeam design exemplified by beam 54 in FIG. 6 to permit lowering a chain fall or hoist down to the press framework to be able to handle the heavy press rolls when desired. The framing is designed to provide a roll-out device for removing the rolls from the press; however, the

3 top press roll must be lowered onto the roll-out carriage. Thus, the beam '54 comprises two separate portions 54' and 54 in its center, which portions are connected by struts 55.

A critical aspect of the present invention is the inclusion in the normally supporting superstructure of removable sections. In the preferred embodiment in FIG. 1, such removable sections 58 and 69 are located in the vertical pillars 12 and 14 in a position between the floor 18 and the series of rollers about which the felt must pass.

Anotherimportant and critical aspect of the present invention is the utilization of temporary supporting means, such as hydraulic jacks, or other removable supports. In the embodiment of FIG. 1 such temporary supports 62 and 64 extend between the floor 18 and the bottoms of the extensions of the horizontal beams 54- and 56, respectively. Such temporary supports 62 and 64 may be hinged at 55 and 57 to beams 54 and 56, respectively, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or they may be entirely separable therefrom as shown in FIG. 3.

During use of the drying press, the felt 36 and fabric 38 have a tendency to first stretch and then to eventually become worn out and useless. With regard to the felt 36,-the roll 28 is provided as a stretch roll. Thus, as the felt stretches, the roll 28 is moved to the right (note FIG. 3) as shown by the arrow to accommodatefor the stretch in the felt. In order to provide such lateral movement of the roll 28 above the horizontal beams 26 and 22, the stretch roll 28 is provided on tracks 66 and 63. The supporting brackets or journal housings 70 and 72 ride along the tracks 66 and 68, respectively, and are controlled by a wheel 74 which operates through a suitable and conventional linkage to move the brackets 70 and 72. Such a suitable linkage may comprise a screw thread associated with one of the tracks 66 or 68 which is turned by the wheel 74.

In a similar manner the roller 46 is a stretch roller for the fabric 38. The position of the stretch roller 46 is controlled by a hand wheel 76 which may operate through a chain 78. A stabilizing bar 46A is provided between the vertical pillar 14 andthe second horizontal beam 56 to help support the stretch roller 46.. The stabilizing bar 46A is threadedly attached to the pillar 14 via a nut 4613. As shown in FIG. 2, the stabilizing bar, when released from pillar 14, may be telescoped towards the horizontal beam 56. The stretch roller 46 is, in addition, provided with a squaring adjustment (not shown) in its mounting mechanism to provide a mechanical takeup for imper fections resulting in a diiferenece in the total length of the fabric 38 on its front side relative to its back side.

In addition to the large degree of control provided by the stretch roller 46, the fabric 38 is also provided with a fine control automatic tension unit associated with the stretch roller 42. The stretch roller 42 is controlled automatically by such a tension sensing element to maintain the fabric 38 at a constant tension and is moved outwardly, independent at each end, to compensate for stretch in the fabric by spring means, or hydraulic or pneumatic air-diaphragm means 43. Independent loading at each end of the roller 46 is necessary to compensate for irregularities in the uniformity of the fabric 38. Stability is maintained between the independent units by a crossshaft 45A which acts as a torsion bar. When this fine control tension unit is expanded to its maximum, it will be indicated by the pointer 45 moving to the end of the scale 47 and then a manual change will have to be made with stretch roller 46, to bring the pointer and tension roll back to proper tension. The auto tension unit ismost important to maintain wrinkle-free fabric operation. The mechanical stretch roll 46 is in proper position when the automatic tension roll indicator 45 is in the center position on the pointer scale 47.

The major feature of the supporting structure shown and described herein, is thesimple and eflicient changing of the felt 36 and/or the fabric 38 when they become worn out and must be discarded. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the structure necessary to accomplish such an end are: the vertical pillars 12 and 14 which have removable sections 58 and 66, respectively; the extensions of the horizontal beams 54 and 56, which extend beyond the plane through the pillars 12 and 14 and upon which extensions, the fabric and felt must be temporaritly draped (e.g., note FIG. 6); and the temporary supporting members 62 and 64 with which to temporarily support the entire structure while the removable sections 58 and 60 are removed from the pillars 12 and 14, respectively.

FIGS. 1 and 4 show the felt 36 and the fabric 38 in the press assembly ready for operation. FIG. 2 shows the installation of the fabric 38 and FIGS. 3 and 6 show the installation of the felt 36.

Just as the removable sections 58 and 60 in the pillars 12 and 14, respectively, are necessary to quickly and easily change the felt 36, so are removable sections and 82 in vertical beams 50 and 52, respectively, necessary to change the fabric 38. Similarly these removable sections 80 and 82 must also be located between the fabric rolls and the support element or foundation for the vertical beams 50 and 52, in this case the horizontal beam 22.

Noting principally FIG. 2, the installation of the fabric 38 is accomplished as follows: the pressing roll 24, which is hingedly mounted about a pivot 84, is lowered to that a gap exists between it and its mating pressure roll 40. The fabric stretch roller 46 and the stabilizing bar 46A are retracted from the right (shown in phantom) to the positions at the left so there is sufficient slack and a gap between the pillar 14 and the roller 46 through which to install the fabric 38.The endless fabric 38 is then draped over the extension of beams 54 and 56 in exactly the same manner as felt 36 is draped over the same beam extensions in FIG. 6. The temporary support elements 62 and 64 are then positioned underneath the horizontal beams 54 and 56 but at a position beyond the draped fabric 38, so that at this point of the operation the draped fabric lies between the temporary support element 6264 and the plane through the pillars 5052, similar to that shown in FIG. 6. The bolts in the removable blocks 80 and 82 are then removed and the temporary supports 62 and 64 are then adjusted downwardly a sufficient amount to remove the blocks 80 and 82 (this is greatly exaggerated in FIG. 2 in which the original position is shown in phantom). This provides a gap between the upper sections of the beams 50 and 52 rigidly attached to the horizontal beam 22 and the lower parts of beams 50 and 52 to which the fabric rollers are all attached. When the blocks 80 and 82 are removed, the temporary support jacks 62 and 64 are holding the beams and all the fabric carrying rolls. The main press framework is still being supported by the blocks 58 and 60 plus the framing beneath these two blocks.

At this point the fabric spreader 48 is cantilevered from the rear side at 49 (note FIG. 5) so that by removing the attaching bolts and rotating the hook 51 on the front, the front end drops a sufficient amount to permit the fabric 38 to be draped over the top of the fabric spreader 43. The fabric 38, which is still draped over the extension of beams 54 and 56, is then pulled into place through the openings vacated by the removable blocks 80 and S2 and over all the fabric rollers 4%) to 46. The spreader 48 is then resecured with the book 51 and the fabric 38 is stretched smooth. The blocks 80 and 82 are replaced and the temporary support members 62 and 64 are raised so that the. blocks 81) and 52 may be bolted to secure the installation. The jacks 62 and 64 are then retracted to their original position and removed. To complete the installation, the stabilizing bar 46A is returned to its mounting position on the pillar 14 and the stretch roller 46 is extended to tighten the fabric loop 38.

Referring principally to FIG. 3, the endless felt 36 is replaced as follows: the pressing roll 24 is lowered by pivoting around its hinge 84 to provide a gap between the press rollers 24 and 40. The felt stretch roller 28 is retracted toward the left. The felt 36 is then draped over the horizontal pillar extensions of pillars 54 and 56 to the position as shown in FIG. 6 and the temporary support jacks 62 and 64 are then fixed in place under the ends of the extensions of beams '6 and 54, respectively. The bolts in the removable sections 58 and 60 are then removed and the temporary support elements 62 and 64 jack up the framework including beam 22 and the upper sections of the vertical pillars 12 arid T4 to the position shown in the solid lines in FIG. 3 (the original position is shown in phantom and the difference in position is greatiy exaggerated in the figure). The removable sections 58 and 643 are then removed. The temporary supports 62 and 64 will then carry the load of the press section at the front of the device.

The felt 36, which is still draped over the extended beams 54 and 56, is then pulled into place through the openings caused by removing the blocks 58 and St). The felt 36 is then pulled over the framework including horizontal beam 22 and all the rollers except for the pressure roll 24, the felt passing into the gap between pressure rolls 24 and 40. The front end of the stretch roller 23 is then lifted from out of its front side saddle or bearing housing 72, which is constructed to separate, and is then removed from the inside of the felt loop and placed on the outside of the felt (i.e. the felt is worked to the inside of the roll), after which the stretch roll 28 is returned to its position within its bearing housing 72. For a felt change, this is the only roll that requires handling. The removable blocks 58 and 6d are then returned to their respective positions Within the pillars 12 and 14, the upper framework is lowered on the temporary supports 62 and 64 to the position shown in phantom, and the bolts in the blocks 58 and 60 are replaced securing the regular framework. The support posts 62 and 64 are then returned to their normal position and removed.

To complete the installation, the felt Ed is then stretched smoothly across the machine and the stretch roll 23 is moved towards the right as shown in phantom to tighten up the felt loop and provide the proper felt tension. The pressing roll 24 is then raised to contact the felt 36 and provide a nip with the roll 44). The press is then ready for operation.

Because of the outward support design of the present invention, the felt can be installed by slipping it around the framework as indicated, thus eliminating the need to handle all felt-carrying rolls except for the stretch roll, one end of which must be lifted from its bearing housing 72 to permit passing the felt to the inside of this roll 25.

FIG. 4- shows the installation of a felt in another stage of the press. Generally (after passing), a newly formed paper web is passed through a plurality of pressing stages. These may be entirely separate, in which case their supporting structures will be similar to that described above with regard to the changing of felt 36, or they may be integrally attached to the superstructure of the adjacent press such as shown in FIG. 47

Here the rolls and supporting structure are essentially similar, but because of the use of a common pillar 14, certain changes are necessary. Thus, pillar 14' not only has a removable section 64) which is necessary for the first press, but it also contains removable sections 86 and 33. The vertical pillar 12 requires only one removable section 58. As in the other press, a series of rollers so, 26, 32', 34', 3t) and 28' are provided. As in the other press, roller 28' is a stretch roller having a front bearing housing from which the roll may be lifted. In this embodiment the temporary support elements 62' and 64' are provided in a different manner. Thus, the temporary support elements 62 and 64 are still jacks but in this case are each shaped as an inverted L which fits into the side of the elongated beam 23. The inverted L-shaped supporting members 62 and 64' may be either permanently embedded in the side of the horizontal beam 23 to provide a rotatable fitting or, alternatively, they may slide into and out of the recesses into which they fit in the side of beam 23.

In the installation of the felt 36', one of the temporary support jacks, such as jack 64, nearest to the press roll 40, is placed under the beam 56 as with the previously described installation. The pressroll 24 is then raised about its pivot 84 to provide a gap between the pressure rolls 24' and 40. T he bolts on the removable section 86 are removed and the temporary support 64 is jacked up a sufficient amount to remove the block 86. The felt loop 36 is then draped over the horizontal extensions of the temporary jacks 62 and 64 and such jacks are then placed in position (as shown in FIG. 4) to support the horizontal beam 23. At this point the felt loop 36 is between the beam 23 and the vertical portions of the temporary supports 62 and 64. The stretch roll 28' is retracted towards the left and the support jacks 62' and 64 then raise the horizontal beam 23 as well as the attached rolls a sufiicient amount to remove the blocks 58' and 83.

The felt 36 is then passed through the openings caused by removing blocks 86, 88 and 58' and over the rollers 34, 30, 4ft, and 26 and under the horizontal beam 23 and the roller 32'. The stretch roll 28' is then removed from the inside of the felt loop and placed on the outside of the loop by lifting it free of its front bearing housing to permit passing the felt to the inside of this roll. The blocks 68' and 88 are reinserted and the support jacks 62 and 64' lower the framework to the position shown in phantom so that bolts can be installed to secure the blocks 58 and 88. The support jacks 62 and 64' are then either removed or rotated to their normal positions.

The block 86 is then put into place and the temporary support post 64 lowers the remaining framework onto the block 86 which is then secured with bolts. The temporary support post 64 is then removed or returned to its normal position. To finish installation, the felt 36 is stretched smoothly and the felt stretch roller 28' is moved to the right, thereby tightening up the felt 36'. Lastly, the pressure roller 24 is lowered onto the pressure roller 46' to provide a nip therebetween through which the felt 36' passes. The press is then ready for operation.

The present device affords compactness of equipment and a minimum of equipment handling and relocation for replacing a felt or fabric. An important advantage of this device is that once the fabric or felt has been draped over the beam extensions and the supporting posts or jacks placed in support position, the entire fabric run or felt run mechanism is a free unit from the standpoint of placing the fabric or felt in its proper position.

it will be understood that a variety of changes can be made from the illustrated embodiments without departing from the inventive concept. Thus, the entire back of the press superstructure as illustrated by the pillars 10, 16 and the beams 24 and 53 can be replaced by a solid vertical wall, for example. Also, a single beam extension may replace the two extensions 54 and 56 and such a beam itself could be permanently anchored at its end and have a removable section along its length without departing from the invention.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a roller press assembly frame comprising a plurality of rollers, superstructure for supporting said rollers upon a foundation including at least two pillars and an endless belt passing about said rollers, the improvement comprising a removable section in one of said pillars between said rollers and said foundation, a beam extending from said superstructure upon which to drape an endless belt, and means to temporarily support said one pillar from said extending beam while said removable section is removed.

2. In a papermaking roller press assembly comprising a plurality of rollers, superstructure for supporting said rollers upon a foundation including vertical pillars supporting said rollers and at least one horizontal beam between said vertical pillars, and an endless paper drying element passing about said rollers, the improvement comprising a removable section in at least one of said vertical pillars between said rollers and said foundation, an essentially horizontal beam section extending from said superstructure beyond said one vertical pillar upon which to drape said endless drying element, and means to temporarily support said extending horizontal beam when said section has been removed.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said superstructure comprises two said vertical pillars, each having a said removable section, and two said horiz-ontal beams each having a said extending section, wherein said two horizontal beams are parallel to said rollers and extend beyond the plane formed by said two vertical pillars having said removable sections, and wherein said temporary support means comprise vertical support elements extending between the floor and said extensions of said horizontal beams.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said vertical support elements are hydraulic jacks.

5. In a papermaking roller press assembly comprising a plurality of essentially parallel rollers, an endless paper drying element passing around said rollers, at least four vertical pillars supporting said rollers, supporting means for said vertical pillars, two first horizontal beams between said vertical pillars perpendicular to said rollers, and at least one second horizontal beam between said first horizontal beams parallel to said rollers, the improvement comprising a removable section in each of two of said vertical pillars between said rollers and said supporting means, said two vertical pillars defining a plane substantially perpendicular to the axes of said rollers, wherein said at least one second horizontal beam is within said endless drying element and extends beyond the plane formed by said two vertical pillars having removable sections, and further comprising temporary support means for the end portion of said extension of said at least one second horizontal beam.

6.: An apparatus in accordance with claim 5, further comprising a stretch roller parallel to said other rollers, and means to disengage. said stretch roller from the support at one end, wherein said endless drying element comprises a felt which passes inside of said stretch roller, and wherein said supporting means for said vertical pillars comprises the floor.

7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5 further comprising a fabric spreader parallel to said rollers, and means todisengage said fabric spreader from its support at one end, wherein said endless drying element comprises a water retaining fabric screen which passes inside of said fabric spreader, and wherein said supporting means for said vertical pillars comprises further horizontal beams.

8. An apparatus in accordance with claim-5 wherein said temporary support means comprises a jack member hingedly supported to said second horizontal beam.

9. In a papermaking roller press assembly comprising a plurality of essentially parallel rollers, an endless paper drying felt passing around said rollers, four vertical pillars supporting said rollers, floor means for supporting said vertical pillars, two horizontal beams between said verticalpillars perpendicular to said rollers, the improvement comprising a removable section in each of two of said vertical pillars, said two pillars defining a plane substantially perpendicular to the axes of said rollers, and temporary support means extending between said floor and the horizontal beam between the vertical pillars having the removable sections, the connection of said temporary support means and said horizontal beam lying within the projection of the annuloid defined by said endless felt, and said removable sections being located between said rollers and said floor.

10. A papermaking roller press assembly resting on a floor comprising a first series of parallel rollers, an endless felt passing around said first series of rollers, a second series of rollers having one roller in common with said first series and disposed within said first series of rollers and said felt, an endless fabric screen passing around said second series of rollers, said felt and said fabric contacting at said common roller, means to support said first series of rollers including first pillar means for supporting one side of said roller and at least one other pillar for normally supporting the other side of said rollers, said other pillar having a removable section, at least one first horizontal beam supported by said other vertical pillar and being substantially perpendicular to said rollers, at least one vertical beam extending from said firsthorizontal beam to support said second series of rollers, at least one second horizontal beam supported by said vertical beam and being substantially parallel to said rollers and extending beyond said other pillar to provide means upon which to drape a felt and a fabric, and temporary support means depending from said second horizontal beam to said floor beyond said draping means, said removable section in said pillar being located between said rollers and said floor.

ILAn apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said means to support said first series of rollers includes four of said vertical pillars, two of which have removable sections, said two pillars being in a plane substantially perpendicular to said rollers, said. apparatus further comprising two of said first horizontal beams, at least three of said vertical beams, and two of said second horizontal beams, one of said second horizontal beams extending through the apparatus from front to back above said common roller and defining slots therethrough.

12. A roller and endless belt structure comprising a plurality of rollers, an endless belt of material passing about said rollers, means to support said rollers including References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1954 Hornbostel l62200 3/1962 Hart 16Qr-'273 OTHER REFERENCES Hamilton, Clothing the Fabric Press, Tappi, vol. 46, No. 9, September 1963, pages 221A-223A.

S. LEON BASHORE, Primary Examiner.

DONALL H. SYLVESTER, Examiner. 

1. IN A ROLLER PRESS ASSEMBLY FRAME COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF ROLLERS, SUPERSTRUCTURE FOR SUPPORTING SAID ROLLERS UPON A FOUNDATION INCLUDING AT LEAST TWO PILLARS AND AN ENDLESS BELT PASSING ABOUT SAID ROLLERS, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A REMOVABLE SECTION IN ONE OF SAID PILLARS BETWEEN SAID ROLLERS AND SAID FOUNDATION, A BEAM EXTENDING 